By V. Krishnaswamy, IANS,
Pebble Beach, California : Arjun Atwal has been in the United States for a fairly long time – he played his first full season as far back as 2004. But Atwal, who also studied in the US, has never really settled down as far as golf is concerned.
In and out of the PGA Tour, Atwal is hoping to make his way back to the PGA next year.
His sole win in the US came in 2008 at the Chattanooga Classic on the Nationwide Tour. His best PGA results came in 2005, when he played only part of the season and came close to notching his only PGA win at the BellSouth Classic, before falling to Phil Mickelson in a five-way play-off.
Interestingly, through the mid-1990s, Atwal was called the ‘nearly man’ in Asia, as he time and again came close to winning, but did not quite close it. But once he won the 1999 Indian Open on his homecourse in Kolkata, he came into his own.
Atwal won more frequently and became Asia No.1 in 2002. He now owns three European Tour wins, the last coming at the 2008 Malaysian Open, and also has seven Asian Tour victories besides the Chattanooga Classic.
He tees off with Jason Gore and Jim Herman in the first round Thursday.
“I am getting on a bit in years,” says Atwal jokingly as he thinks he is ready to make a big break.
“Win on the PGA Tour and do well at the Majors and then retire to the Bahamas in a few years!,” he adds with a laugh.
“For me the focus this year has been to stay fit. I have not played much this year. I played in Asia and here (in US) and not in Europe. I have not made any plans so far for Europe. Let’s see. My focus is to stay fit. Last time around, I rushed back from injuries and paid the penalty,” said Atwal.
Interestingly, Tiger Woods had advised him against rushing back to tournament play after the injuries. He added, “I should have listened to him and rested a bit more.”
Atwal, currently on a medical exemption, has played four events and has four more left, including the US Open.
“I am playing well and am looking forward to this week. I am also teeing up at Hartford (one of his favourite and regular events, which he first played back in 1996) next week, but for now it is Pebble Beach. I have done well here. But frankly, the way the course is set up for the AT&T and the US open are very different,” he said.
“The greens are going to be very fast,” he says. He chips and shows the ball landing on the green and rolling away at a lightning speed. “They are really dry and fast.”
His new caddie, Cline Laddie, agrees and hands back a bunch of balls to putt more. “I have worked hard and am getting back where I want to be. I do less of gym and more of yoga,” he says. “It has worked for me.”
Atwal has played almost daily with Tiger for the past week – first in Los Angeles and the last four days since Sunday in Pebble Beach. “I like playing with him and I presume so does he. We get along. We chit chat and I get to see a lot when I see him play and practise some amazing shots,” says Atwal.
On Wednesday, Atwal and Woods played alongside another debutant, the 22-year-old Joseph Bramlett, who like Tiger is a Stanford alumni.
So how has it been playing and watching Tiger? “The more you see him, you know why you will never beat him. He is getting there and will win any time.”